Believe it or not, brunch does have an etiquette to follow. No, we don’t mean elbows off the table kind of etiquette but rather a set of loose rules to follow to make brunch ebb and flow as it should.
These rules are great guidelines to make brunch the best overall experience it can be. Here’s everything you need to know to rock brunch:
- Be Polite
Whether you are a guest in someone’s home or are going out to a restaurant for brunch, never forget to mind your manners.
Brunch can be stressful. There’s food flying out the door, waiters scrambling to refill glasses, and generally a large group of people all in one area. The least you can do is be extra nice to the host and wait staff while they are working hard to give you a great experience.
Of course, this doesn’t just apply to brunch. This applies to anytime you go out to eat or go over to someone’s place for a meal. Common courtesy goes a long way.
Don’t forget to tip, too!
- Be on Time
One of the worst things you could do is be late for brunch. Often your host will wait for everyone to arrive before digging in, and you want to stay in their good graces. Make sure you keep an eye on your pocket watch before you head out the door.
This is a great rule for any event you attend, especially brunch. It often takes a village to get brunch up and running, so the least you can do is be on time to eat.
Nothing says “I don’t care” like a tardy guest, intentional or not. If you want to make a good impression with your host and the other guests, it’s proper to be on time and ready to go when brunch begins, especially when you are in a large group in a public setting.
- Keep It Simple
Brunch is not the time to modify the menu and make demands. Most restaurants will have a designated brunch menu full of delicious options. Don’t make your life more complicated or their life harder by ordering something custom or off the menu.
If you have a food allergy or other dietary restrictions and need accommodations, of course, point those out to your waitstaff. One of the best ways to do this is to address the issue of allergies beforehand. It never hurts to make a phone call and get accommodations before the event begins. Again, this just helps everything be smooth sailing for all parties involved.
- Don’t Make Plans Before or After
If you are out at brunch, you are going to be living it up. This means bottomless mimosas and usually a large meal to go along with it. The worst thing you could do is rush your time at brunch, especially when alcohol is involved.
Take your time eating and enjoying each other’s company, and don’t rush off to another activity. You don’t have to worry about anybody’s safety if there is a designated D.D or if everyone has allotted time to let their food (and booze) settle.
It’s also important not to pregame brunch. If you party hard the night before, brunch will not be as enjoyable with a headache. The bottom line is: don’t make plans before or after brunch. Commit the entire day to it.
- Know Your Order Beforehand
To help brunch go smoothly for everyone involved, skim the menu before you even get to brunch. Knowing what you want to eat and drink before you even sit down to eat helps not only your waitstaff but you as well.
This is a great way to get your food quicker and help the entire morning go smoother. Not to mention, this helps satisfy your hunger quicker, so the party doesn’t come to a stop.
Thankfully, with the help of modern technology, this isn’t a hard ask. You can easily look up a restaurant’s brunch menu and see everything that is offered. This even helps know how much money you should bring and how much you probably will end up spending. It never hurts to be prepared, especially with brunch.
- Buffet Is the Best Way
For larger brunch groups, you will want to invest in a brunch that offers buffet-style serving. Most restaurants that offer a brunch buffet will charge a set price for an all-you-can-eat brunch.
This is the best choice for large groups or folks who like to eat. Not only do you save money in the long run, but you get variety, too. Buffet style is almost always the way to go, especially with an event as grand as brunch.
- Don’t Order a Complicated Drink
If the rest of your party is sipping on mimosas, don’t be the one person to order a complicated cocktail. Not only will this drive the group bill up, but it may throw off the groove of the event.
The best bet for best service and best quality drinks is ordering a pitcher and sharing it with your party. For the sake of the brunch bartender, the wait staff, and your fellow brunch buddies, stick to a simple drink and make sure to sip on it slowly. Trust us; don’t be that guy.
- Don’t Take It Too Seriously
Last but not least: don’t take the event too seriously. You can easily get caught up in all the rules and etiquette and lose sight of the fun of it all. Brunch is one of the best times to catch up with friends over a delicious meal. Make sure to enjoy yourself as much as you can with the people who love you most.
Brunch is a time to be celebrated and let go of some unwanted stress and anxiety. If you get hung up on trying to make it perfect or are distracted going into it, you won’t have as much fun as you could. Don’t let brunch become a bummer.
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
Life is worth celebrating, and our favorite way to celebrate is with a good old-fashioned brunch. Brunch is an experience like no other, and it’s definitely more than just an excuse to drink at 11 am. Brunch is a time for bonding and celebrating food and friendship. It’s a wonderful way to unplug and unwind with your brunch buddies. It’s more than mimosas; it’s memories—memories that turn into traditions.
Brunch is a great tradition to start implementing with your best pals. Whether you’ve been to brunch a hundred times or this is your first celebration, make it a brunch worth remembering. Remember the brunch etiquette as you plan your next celebration out, and don’t forget to have fun with it. Happy brunching